Carmella Sees The Orthopedist

This morning we headed to Northlake Veterinary Surgery to find out the extent of the damage to Carmella's ligament and get her set up for a custom brace.

The office was not far from my house, set off the street in an unassuming little building surrounded by a small strip of land containing ornamental grass like that outside of GA. Veterinary Specialists. Sitting just outside Stone Mountain nobody would know from looking at the outside that this small clinic housed state-of-the-art facilities and dealt in high-dollar treatment for canine and feline orthopedic disorders.

Only when you entered did you find out that many rescue organizations brought their dogs here; dogs with broken legs needing repair, dogs with hip displaysia, and dogs with a whole variety of joint and ligament problems, many of whom had been down on their luck until finding that right person willing to go to the mat for them.

A large black Newfoundland limped with his owner to the car, back leg and side shaved.

As we waited in the waitingroom a red Doberman came out with an elderly woman. "What a beautiful dog" I commented.

The woman regarded me with amusement and with a tight-lipped smile said, "An expensive dog!" Sure, it was pure-bred, and most likely show quality but that wasn't what she meant.

Carmella pulled heavily on her leash and whined in anticipation of meeting new people, new dogs, and new experiences. She looks at the world with curiosity and wonder much as a young child does on vacation.

The receptionist asked me to fill out another new patient form because the online system had failed and they'd lost data for the past week. My friend and I talked to each other and some of the women in the waitingroom.

A few dogs came and went and then a vet tech called Carmella back to one of the inner examining rooms.

I noticed that the room contained two small rugs; one on the table and the other on the floor below. Carmella nosed around sniffing and listening at the door to the people and dogs who had come in the front entrance, then plopped down on the small swatch of carpet in front of the chair I was sitting in. She got up and lay down several times, bounced on her leg trying to propel herself forward with exuberance toward the sounds she heard coming from the next room.

In walked a tall, thin young man with dark brown curly hair and a scruffy beard who looked more like a stoner than someone you'd expect to find in an animal hospital. He wore blue scrubs and seemed a little disheveled. He came around the metal examining table with outstretched hand smiling broudly.

"Miss Carlington?" he said in a falsetto voice. "I'm Dr. Corse". Shaking my hand, he then looked at Carmella who had already started to jump up on him. "She's not shy" he laughed, taking hold of her on the head with both hands and looking her in the eye. Carmella licked him and wagged her tail.

"This dog has a very interesting history" he went on. "Dr. Muller told me, and I don't think I've ever really seen a case like hers with myoclonus and a carpal ligament injury. Whether or not the two are related is hard to know for sure but we can do both a neuro exam and an orthopedic exam to see how much of this is related to possible nerve damage and how much related to the ligament, how much might be arthritis-related with one of the joints in the wrist." He went on to explain that in some cases the central nerve can be affected and cause lameness and sometimes it is intact and not a contributing factor.

We discussed the options of surgery, a brace, and stem cell transplant, and I was glad that he was not averse to the idea of stem cell transplant although he said that not alot of research has been done on its use on this type of ligament. He had heard about that German Shepherd with Hip Dysplasia on TV lately who had a successful outcome treated by Dr. Hines in Alpharetta. I told him I would rather work towards regeneration of the ligament than destruction of bone which would forever and irreversibly change her range of motion. I couldn't bring myself to go that route. Something about it is repugnant to me. He said with the brace there was no rush to do surgery, but that he didn't think it would heal from the amount of scar tissue which might develop over time and her leg would probably do the same flimsiness once it was removed after any length of time.

In any case stem cell transplant might or might not work, but it sure couldn't do any harm. I'd heard the same thing about the CSF procedure from Dr. Muller, and it ended up working to cure the distemper, so I thought, this kind of statement is a good sign. Maybe the two are cut from the same cloth.

He examined Carmella's response to pinching the top of her foot and leg, and tapped on her tricep. He noted that the main nerve was intact but that there could be some problem in smaller surrounding nerves although it was impossible to know for sure because of the jerking that might be disrupting her reflexes.

Then he walked her around and felt all her joints, commented on what good overall physical condition she was in.

I told him that I had read up on the brace and that would give me time to look further into the stem cell transplant and exactly which technique might help heal both of her current problems in the leg, while preventing any further deterioration. He seemed to think that was a good plan, and said he could take some X-rays to see what small parts of the wrist might be affected so that the right brace could be built for her. They would put her under "light sedation" and then move her leg to see how far it hyperextends on X-ray. I asked whether there was any risk of making the injury worse, and he said that the pressure applied for that was less than the pressure she applied standing on it.

He said that they could do that and make the mold today and that it would all take about 2 hours or so.

They said they'd call me when she was all done and then my friend and I left to kill some time at my house. Carmella was finished around 3:00 and we headed back to pick her up. She was a little calmer than usual but not extremely sedated.

The vet filled out some forms, and I filled out some forms related to the brace, the vet tech told me it would be delivered to me in about two weeks and then the receptionist checked me out. The bill just about knocked me out and I asked her to give me as much time on my Care Credit as humanly possible because I'm going to need it! I pulled out a few of my business cards and asked her to spread the word to all the staff that I make jewelry and that these sales will help pay off Carmella's veterinary expenses. She nodded and took them.

Carmella had a lttle bit of diarrhea in the pinestraw outside but other than that did not to seem to have any side-effects.

We headed home and I gave her dinner, then finished a small bowl of pasta myself.

I listed a few things in my supply shop while Carmella took a nap. Then I took some cute pictures of her when she woke up stretched and moved around a bit in the kitchen.

I want to thank all those who have donated recently! Your contributions are much appreciated! To those who are reading and would still like to help Carmella, keep it coming;

* Purchase an ad on my blog in the "Top Spots"
* Buy Jewelry from http://giftbearer.etsy.com/
* Purchase Supplies from http://giftbearer.etsy.com/
* Use the Please Donate to Carmella Button in my sidebar for whatever amount you can afford.

Every reader who helps Carmella in any of these ways will be an important part of the solution and will bring us a little closer to our goal of $6,000.

In today's economy medical expenses can be almost as devastating as the health problems they come from, not only in human health but for pets as well. These animals rely on us to be their protectors, and as any animal-lover can attest, they give back so much more!

Step by step we are returning Carmella, this incredibly special dog, to full health.

With Love and Action All Things Are Possible!

Carmella Needs a Miracle

Today Carmella saw Dr. Muller about her right front leg. I was thinking mostly about the stem cell transplant when I went in there, and getting the EKG so she can get on the medication, Procainamide, for the myoclonus but now there is an even more immediate situation with her worsening wrist. This is the second vet in the past week to tell me that she is going to end up lame if she continues to jerk. The continuous impact is making it worse and worse and the wrist if left untreated will end up lying flat on the ground.  Also, then her left leg could go bad in the process of trying to compensate for the right, and then she'd be in really bad shape.

If it hasn't already, the ligament will eventually tear. She needs surgery and the particular surgery he said they do for this is basically fusing the bone by putting a metal plate inside. She would not be able to bend her foot flat when she lies down and it would be forever in a locked position so she could walk on it.

I can't stand the thought of it, and I can't stand the thought of her going lame either. I hope that's not the only option, and on top of all that it will cost thousands of dollars.

If we can't find a way to control the jerking the surgery might not work.

While my friend and I were there, Dr. Muller called a pharmacy in Canada and one here and came back and said that neither carried Procainamide. It looks as if it used to be used in humans for heart problems but was pretty much made obsolete in recent years by newer drugs.

I don't know what we'll do if we can't get it. I'm going to see if I can check online pharmacies in India and a few other developing countries.

Now I'm really going to have to raise major money to get her through this. I don't know why this had to happen to her after all the stuff she's already been through.  After she was cured of distemper I thought she was home free, but now we are faced with another huge mountain to climb.

I just had a thought; I hope it wasn't the Zithromax she was on for her opportunistic infections that caused the problem with her ligament. I know it has been linked to that in humans. All the macrolide antibiotics have.

Dr. Muller suggested not doing the EKG since we don't know if we can get the Pracainamide anyway, and he said the only heart problem that is at all possible in a dog this age is heart block and that's very unlikely.

He told me he knows an orthopedist for animals who works over in the Northlake area who is good and also compassionate that he can talk to about Carmella's case and he thinks he'd charge less than they would at GVS.

He's also going to call the Neurologist Carmella saw over there the other day and talk to her.

Biarcliff Animal Clinic where Dr. Muller works has a charity that usually helps in cases like this but donations have been way down and they don't have the money.

Just a few more inches, and my hair will be long enough to sell.

I want to thank Janice at Heartworks for buying an ad on my blog! Please check out her wonderful plaques, mandalas and other handmade items by clicking on the new banner at the top of my TopSpots.

If any of you readers would like to help Carmella you can purchase an ad by clicking on the link at they bottom of that list and for $5.00 you can have a presence there too.

If jewelry, scarfettes, hats, or other accessories are your thing your purchase will help there too. Everything needs to go in my Etsy shop; http://giftbearer.etsy.com/ , jewelry and wearables. My goal is to turn it over completely and start phasing in all new pieces. Be sure not to miss the new hair flowers that wer recently listed; great to match Spring outfits! The buyer who brings my sales number in this shop to 90 will receive a free gift with their purchase.

or if you're more in need of supplies you can get some really unique ones here; http://giftbearersupply.etsy.com/ 

Carmella needs the help of the community now more than ever. You can be a part of her miracle so that she can have the comfortable and healthy life she deserves. There's much work to be done, but I promised her I would never give up on her and I intend to stick by her. She's had too many turn their back on her like so many other dogs have that came from shelters. There's something about Carmella that just reaches into your heart and that's why I chose her out of all the others.

Help Heal The Damage

Want to know how you can help?

Jenn of likealilyamongthorns featured these Delia Earrings, part of my Carmella Collection yesterday in her wedding blog, "The Adventures of a modern Housewife". They'll make a wonderful addition to any bride's outfit on that big day!

Read the write-up, and purchase, and or send the link to your frends and help Carmella in the process.
http://amodern-housewife.blogspot.com/2010/03/wedding-wednesday.html

 If you have a wedding or formal occasion coming up I have an intrigueing variety of jewelry pieces that are sure to make your experience one-of-a-kind and extra special! I also take custom orders if you have specific colors or styles in mind for the bride, bridesmaids, and any others who require something you don't already see in my etsy shop; http://Giftbearer.etsy.com

You can also purchase one of the ad slots to your right in my sidebar (click on the link at the bottom for instructions on how) at a cost of $5.00, or donate in any amount with a credit card or Paypal account through Paypal by going to the link that says "Please Donate To Carmella". I still have a long way to go to pay off her medical costs.

I just returned from GA. Veterinary Specialists after a long day. While we were there Carmella was excited at all the other dogs coming and going and whined almost non-stop wishing she could play with each one of them. The building was a large gray stone-looking brick structure with what looked like a cast iron sculpture out front of a tree and boys climbing up it after a cat that was perched on the furthest limb. Surrounding that on two crossing sidewalks were tufts of long ornamental grass growing like tentative topknots in hard-packed soil bogged down slightly by the recent rain.

My friend and I entered through the front entrance with automatic doors and made our way through a series of wooden benches to our left and right up to the reception desk in the center of a large atrium. Carmella could hardly contain herself and pulled almost hard enough to knock me down. It was quite a feat holding onto her leash and signing in, then filling out the preliminary paperwork. Tying her leash to a bench on the right I managed to complete the form and return it to a staff member as she walked by but not before Carmella began dragging the bench part-way across the floor. I caught her just in time and pulled her back. She was intent on making contact with an elderly Golden Retriever who sat nervously on the floor at the adjacent bench her owner was sitting on.

Unsure of Carmella's intentions she wimpered and looked up at the woman who looked back at me a little awkwardly as Carmella shreiked loudly at her dog in malamute-like tones tugging so hard at the leash she nearly choked.

My friend went outside to answer her cell phone and it wasn't long before Carmella and I were called back to wait in a room for the neuro vet. I think it must have been 30-40 minutes before she was ready to see us and in the meantime Carmella had to go to the bathroom, so I took her out front among the sparse tufts of grass. She peed and pooped without much delay and was then ready to go back inside. My friend came out just as we were headed for the front door and we went inside, she in the waitingroom, and Carmella and I to the inner room where we waited for the doctor.

The neuro vet looking to be in her early thirties, slim, with long dark brown hair pulled back in a long ponytail came in soon after trailed by a vet tech and an intern, and shook my hand a little too hard as though to convey something, though I'm not sure exactly what. Something about her seemed too deliberate but she smiled and introduced herself and the intern and asked how Carmella was and inquired about the symptoms that brought her in. Just as I came back into the room I'd heard her discussing Carmella with a man in the next room whom I supposed was Dr. Johnson (the male neuro vet who had refused to do the CSF procedure back before Carmella had started jerking and languished over his decision for weeks while Carmella began developing neuro symptoms that increased by the week). I just caught the tail end of their conversation but I'd heard him say something about Dr. Sears to the female neuro vet. I wondered whether he had told her that he'd refused to treat Carmella 17 or some months ago and why (that it wasn't in the medical literature).

This new vet asked me lots of questions about her myoclonus and any other neuro symptoms, and also asked whether she had any more respiratory symptoms. I thought "why would she now?" Then she did a thorough neuro exam checking her reflexes, looking in her eyes, looking to see whether she responded to sharp objects, etc, as the vet tech and intern looked on. Eyesight was good, reflexes good, other than the leg and the myoclonus all alse checked out. That was the good news. Then came the bad.

She asked me whether Carmella was on any medication for the myoclonus and I told her no she wasn't. She admitted that there wasn't much that would work for myoclonus and that the only thing she knew of that worked enough to really reduce the jerking significantly was a drug called Procaine which she said could have cardiac side effects so the dog needed to have an EKG prior to starting it and that it comes in injectible form or pill form. The pills have to be given 3 times a day.

She went on to say that not much else that she knew of could be done and that myoclonus wouldn't show a lesion on an MRI because any structural changes would be on the cellular level and microscopic if any, and it could be caused by purely electrical disturbances originating from possibly neurotransmitters in the nerve root "or the invironment around it" (where it meets the spinal cord in the shoulder).

She seemed to be extrapolating from what she'd read; things I've also read in medical journals. Her phrasing was "They think it's caused by that". She seemed to be reaching for answers that weren't verifiable by any tangible means like one who has heard a myth passed down by their ancesters and tells it again from old stories one heard as a child, so certain of the truth of this theory through sheer faith, yet so uncertain by any accepted scientific standards of proof. It is one of those theories accepted by the specalty more by default than by reason. She seemed to want to leave it at that and think no further. She said that she didn't "want to biopsy the nerve root"; that "that wouldn't be fair to her" as if to imply that would be the only way to find a focal point.

I mentioned the possibility of a stem cell transplant and she replied that was not being done yet outside a lab and that she couldn't do it. I told her that I didn't think she could but that there are two vets that I know of in town already doing it on dogs and that one in Alpharetta had been on the news just recently. The other was on Hwy. 78. I silently wondered how she could have been totally unaware of this great discovery hitting the market when it's all over the internet now and on the local news. It's even in journals, (but I guess not the ones she reads).

She seemed embarrassed or irritated; one or both by my giving her that information and said she would be really glad if there were a cure, but her words had a hollow ring to them as though she didn't really mean it if she couldn't have known it first.

I had the sense that she was paddling hard trying not to drown in her own cluelessness, covering it up with a guarded and clipped defensive demeanor as the conversation got more specific. Her friendliness quickly faded to a tense and deflective stance in which she resembled a bird perched high atop a way-too-slender limb on the verge of cracking beneath her feet.

She said that the fallen arch in the leg was, as I thought, due to the jerking, and that it probably wouldn't get better but if the jerking was lessened it might prevent it from getting worse. Without controlling or stopping the jerking it would certainly continue to deteriorate. The ligament has been stretched too much; not her specialty she said, but an "orthapedic problem". I asked what could be done about that part of the problem and asked if a splint would work and whether any sort of physical therapy could prevent further damage. She responded by telling me I'd have to ask an orthapedist and a physical therapist. That sounded kind of smart-alecy to me, as she did not recommend any names, just left it at that and stared back at me almost defiantly as if to say, "So there!"

I told her that I really don't know what to do with that information. She continued to flounder.

(I'd assumed they had those specialists there but felt it was futile to ask at that point as she seemed to be taking every one of my valid questions as a personal attack. As she offered no help hooking me up with them I did not want to take another trip out there across town on a maybe). She did sign my insurance form, handed me a card and a one-page typed report, shook my hand hard again, and I checked out and put the papers in my briefcase.

My friend was waiting in the atrium and I told her what happened. She was flabbergasted. that she was just dismissing us like that with no follow-up. I said, "Well at least this documentation will help somewhat when I approach the stem cell transplant vet. It may not need to be pinpointed exactly if she's right that it's coming from the nerve root in the shoulder. Stem cells could probably be put there and they'd migrate directly to where they're needed, and since this is already shown to be successful for ligament regeneration it might help in that spot at the wrist too!"

Perhaps despite her uncooperativeness and lack of preparation this vet had really given an answer anyway although mired in layers of porcupine quills. If she's right that its cause is due to problems with neurotransmitters I don't know whether stem cell transplant fixes that or not. I'll have to do some more reading about that to determine if it would. I still have access to some of the top specialists in that field on the committee I spoke of in one of my earlier posts. They are likely to be a storehouse of information since they are doing alot of research on various stem cell techniques. As I recall some mentioned in their bio that they sub-specialized in neural cell regeneration! Perhaps they will know the missing piece. Armed with that specificity I can then approach the stem cell vet and discuss the best way to go about it.

This dog didn't deserve what happened to her and deserves to be restored to complete health again. Because so many dropped the ball I am now paying to correct the mis-steps they made, as is Carmella.

My goal this year is to sell all my current inventory, help Carmella with the proceeds, and begin to phase in all new pieces! With the community's help I know this can happen! With Love and Action All Things Are Possible.

My Little Friend is On the Mend

Carmella's paws look alot better after 5 days on the antibiotics!

The sores are beginning to look more like callouses

and what used to be raw, oozing flesh has now dried up alot

and the pads seem to be returning to more their normal color.

I'm not sure what this yellow coloring is though. It almost looks as though she stepped in pollen and it soaked into her pores, but I think it has something to do with the infection. Hopefully this will go away also.

Even Carmella's face is clearing up. It turns out that what Dr. Norwood thought was the remnants of the mange was really the bacteria. It seemed to be taking inordinately long for the lesions on the side of her face to heal, but I see more hair growing where it hasn't grown for weeks or months! Her eyes are also not getting goop in them constantly as they were before.

Her crotch still has a few little pustules but not near as many as before.

As you can see, her ears look better and the scabbiness is gone from her cheek!
Her snout where the whiskers are is still kind of red, but it is getting better. I hope it will look alot better by the end of the weekend.


She's not itching near as much and so is not licking, scratching, and biting herself except for every once in awhile. If this keeps up I may be able to take her cone off pretty soon!

I just added some more jewelry to my Etsy store. So far nobody has used the repeat customer sale, so if you like something you see I have things in a number of price-ranges, so go ahead and pick some of your favorites up and take them home. I've spread this out for a full month to make it easy for most people over several pay periods to fit this into their budget. I hope you all are seeing my shop and checking it often and that you will become regular customers if you're not already.

Those who have already bought jewelry from me can get the 20% discount on your very next purchase, and remember that once you have bought the first time you have all the way through Mother's Day to buy as much as you want at 20% off! If somebody's birthday is coming up but it's not for a few more months then why not just buy their gift early and keep it on hand while the discount period lasts. Now's the time to jump on it and make it work for you!

http://Giftbearer.etsy.com/

I recently finished a bunch of stuff to send off to VIX Emporium which will be having it's Grande Re-Opening after it's owner gets back from maternity leave.
It looks like I'll just barely have enough money to mail the package.

Woohooo!!! It's the Repeat Customer Appreciation Sale at Giftbearer!

This special offer is for repeat customers only, so if you have not purchased from me yet and have been coveting that special piece of jewelry now's your chance to become one!

Between now and Mother's Day buy anything from me at regular price and then buy again and on your second purchase you'll get 20% off on anything in my store.

If you have previously bought from me at least once before it's even simpler; you are eligible on this purchase; just convo me and let me know and I'll adjust the price on the item or items you'd like your discount on. I'll check my list of previous purchases and then notify you as soon as I've made the reduced price adjustment.

During this time there is no limit to the number of items you can buy at 20% off!

Some of you regular readers already know her but for those who are just coming across my blog and my story the dog you see on my banner is Carmella, a former shelter dog I adopted who is the first in the US to ever be fully cured of Distemper through a cutting edge treatment.

Although cured, she continues to need special care due to a compromised immune system. I hope to pay off her $2,000 vet bill.

She is a very special dog and I want to give her everything she needs.

***A Very Heartfelt Thank You To All My Repeat Customers...and Those Soon to be***

http://Giftbearer.etsy.com

Carmella DeCesare...NOT!

It's Carmella the first puppy to beat Distemper in the US. Out of curiosity I decided to do a Google search to see how many times my Carmella came up, and to my disappointment found page after page devoted to the same sex industry star. It was as if her promoters bought the entire fist 20 pages on Google! ***Well, psyche!*** Every once in awhile the little guy prevails.

I thought, "No wonder Etsy seems to be the only place through which people are finding my blog!" With such a monopoly I was hard-pressed to find any other Carmellas. There were maybe 2 others that I could find links to (and I had to search for quite a long time).

However, one thing that was encouraging was that when I searched Giftbearer and Etsy other bloggers' features of my shop and my blog came up fairly often because of the 90 Day Challenge I started last year around the holidays. Those blogs that featured me continue to come up on Google with my name or blog referenced long after the original post, so maybe the key to getting the word out is for multiple bloggers to write about Carmella in their blogs as well.

A year ago I had theorized that such an approach would work to boost Google ratings and not only did it turn out that I was right, but the long-term effect was even more positive than I'd anticipated! The one post on each participant they blogged about had residual visibility again and again!

So if you feel like you just can't compete with the paid Google position folks, don't dispair. There is more than one way to skin a cat...(and sometimes it's with a dog, hee, hee). If any of you are interested in trying this experiment blogging about Carmella I would be very interested to see how it turns out and to report in my blog what kind of impact we have. Here's one more way the community can come together to help Carmella. Maybe we'll attract some dog-lovers from a variety of other places in addition to Etsy.

http://Giftbearer.etsy.com/

Return To The Big Dipper

This morning came early. I turned off my alarm clock and stumbled out of bed, got dressed and ready to take Carmella to the vet. My ride was here at exactly 8:00 am and we arrived at 8:05. The male vet tech seemed as if he'd just woken up himself, and blinked under the flourescent lights above the receptionist desk. The office seemed unusually quiet that time of morning and he came in to check Carmella in, then went to the back to tell someone that she was here. After a few more minutes in the waitingroom one of the twins emerged. It was Jocelyn. Vivienne who took me over there (and whose dog and two cats also go to that clinic) always gets the two of them mixed up. They really do look pretty much identical.

Jocelyn made small talk with us and a man came out with a 13 year old Maltese that didn't look a day over 6 or 7. When we commented on how young the dog looked he said, "Yes, it's the special food, and nutrients, and the doctor."

As we were called back I saw a man come out from one of the rooms with a tiny black and white puppy which was not much bigger than a soda can. I asked what kind it was and he told me it was a Bulldog, but its nose was a little longer than you usually see in a purebred bulldog. I commented that its nose was longer than most and that it was very cute, and the guy said, "It will probably tighten up when he gets older."

I thought he better hope it doesn't "tighten up" because he may be talking about hundreds or thousands of dollars in nasal surgery later on. Besides I generally think Bulldogs are ugly creatures that must have been created by man because God would never create such a thing, however the redeeming feature with this little fellow is that he didn't look much like a bulldog. Maybe he looked like a pitbull, but thankfully he did not have the appearance that somebody crammed its poor nose halfway into its head.

As Carmella and I went back into the room, Gail, the female vet tech came in and got her. I told her what had been happening with her mange increasing and the bacterial infection on her stomach not being impacted at all by the week of antibiotics. I also asked her to remind the vet that she would need something for the itching as well. Carmella was getting pretty raw already and I didn't want these areas to turn into wounds as well. That would add another problem on top of the one she already has, and I figured it's better to be safe than sorry.

"We don't normally give anything for itching", Gail said. "The dip should reduce the itching to some extent."

I reiterated that we really should not take any chances and that she shouldn't have to suffer over the course of the next 2 months if she doesn't have to. Gail semed to evade the request and then Vivienne asked her whether she could catch mange from the dog. Gail told her no, that only Sarcoptic Mange was contagious. She tended to go on about it longer than necessary, then produced a hand-out sheet. Vivienne didn't want it, and I already had one.

However, the one piece of information I did not already know but suspected was that dogs with this kind of reddish fur and light pigment are more susceptible to Mange, and so are white dogs with pink pigment. I'm thinking it must be that Melanin has some protective properties against the Mange mite. I'll have to see what studies I can find on that and on why.

We had some time to kill so we went to Borders, then to Marshall's across the same strip mall. I didn't find anything worth buying at either store, but looked through almost all the jewelry-making books and magazines, noticing how the tutorials in each were like songs on a CD; some good ones mixed with others I hated.

It was a foggy, misty day and somewhat cold out. Even after having breakfast and being out for a few hours I felt as though my brain was still asleep. My nose is still getting stuffed every so often and I think I'm still not fully well yet. I guess jewelry-making will have to wait a little longer.

Next on the agenda are the two seed pods waiting to be worked on once I'm back to normal again, with just a few minor things left to do; mainly assembly and putting the patina on them. There's a cool little feature I've added to the design that I think people will love, (but I'll keep that a surprise until I unveil them).

After we returned to the vet's office we spoke to the same vet tech again and she said Carmella was doing well but that they did decide to give her something for her itching because she didn't fully realize how much she was digging at herself until they looked at her closely. Dr. Norwood never came out to talk to us himself, but she told us that Carmella was probably genetically predisposed to mange and that it was autoimmune.

I asked whether there was anything that could help improve her immune system and she said that maybe fish oil possibly, and that whatever was good for the immune system in humans would probably work in dogs although not much research had been done in that area. She said that I was probably more knowledgeable about that than they were. They didn't know what to expect in a dog who'd survived Distemper.

I told her that I did remember from my reading on human immune issues that Magnesium was one thing that would help strengthen one's immune system. Apparently Pet Tabs do contain that, so I added that to the other stuff they were giving me.

Dr. Brantley should also know which things have that effect in dogs. I'll see if I can get him to resopond back now that she's had the procedure and this is something in his area of expertise. If we can manage to improve her immune function maybe that will prevent her from getting any more medical issues which are autoimmune.

Today's visit cost about $160.00, and there is more to come, so keep those donations coming, buy jewelry, or buy an ad on my blog. Carmella is going to need your help for awhile before she's home free. My natural gas bill is ridiculous this month and a possible cut-off looms on the horizon if the gas company is not satisfied with whatever arrangement I can come up with, but I also want to pay off as much on Carmella's vet bill as I can.

http://Giftbearer.etsy.com/

A Little R&R (Re-Set and Re-Group)

I've been ill for about 3 weeks and have not been able to be online much lately without feeling worse but tonight seem to have a window of opportunity to write something. At least for the time-being I have enough energy to get a few things done so I'm striking while the iron is hot, as my condition fluctuates throughout the day. I'm waiting for some test results to come back from my very disorganized and haphazard doctor's office, but not holding my breath. One time it took three weeks to get results in the mail that I really should have gotten a phone call from the nurse about.

Alot has happened since my last entry. I have not felt up to working on my jewelry, and various fees sucked up the money I had set aside for the rubber stamps, so it looks as though ordering them, and launching my new line will have to wait until after the holidays unless I happen to make a decent sale (or several) this month.

A friend has fallen on hard times as well, and I am feeling somewhat useless in trying to help. It is never quite so evident as it is right now just how important it is to have enough money to fix all the leaks in the boat that invariably come along when you least expect it, which present themselves at the most inopportune times.

Then another goal had to be put aside (one I'm not at liberty to talk about just yet), but if you've been reading diligently will recognize as that "upsetting event" which required more of my time and resulted in my overdoing it and compromising my health. Sometimes life sends us a message that if we don't sit down it will knock us down whether we like it or not. I am the kind of person that has a tendancy to "get it done or die trying", and I just had to come to a point at which I said, "OK, I'm not super-woman and there is no way I'm going to be able to do it alone." That situation is still up in the air, but the future of that will in large part depend on how much back-up I will have at the crucial time when it's most needed. I have to keep reminding myself that it's not a matter of weakness, but one of my having done it virtually alone for way too long already, and that nobody succeeds at anything alone. Somebody said to me about 2 weeks ago that maybe it wouldn't be the end of the world if that particular goal didn't happen, and that which surrounds it folds, and maybe she's right. If the right people just aren't that into it the way I am then perhaps it would be an empty victory to see it through. Recent events have only strengthened my thesis that man's very survival depends upon each cog in the wheel doing it's part for the whole to function effectively. If that sounds alot like Socialism then so be it; right about now Capitalism as it exists here in America has become way out of hand and a little Socialism, getting back to the basics, whiddling it down to only that which is most important would do us some good.

I was thinking tonight about how we need to re-set our clocks, compasses, and the like; kind of have a "do-over", on a personal level with our busy hectic schedules and priorities, and on a more global level with the environmental and consumerist monster we've created, wanting more, bigger, better, faster...wanting more and more "stuff", mucking up our lives with more and more complexity when really what is needed is more simplicity, to slow things down, and to savor the people in our lives, the art, the warmth, and the beauty in the smallest of details.

People are so upset about losing money in the stock market, but then there are those who don't even have money in the stock market and are worried about how they'll eat and pay their bills, and this avalanche is now carrying with it the bodies of those who only weeks or months ago were most concerned about their investments. In the mass of scrambling and desperate arms and legs such concerns quickly pale in comparison to the more immediate concerns of where they will draw their next paycheck, and how long any money saved will last.

It is just beginning to dawn on people that in a flash of an eye all of this could be gone and husbands must then face their wives, possibly to really see them for the first time since they met, stripped of all the trappings and usual distractions, treadmill turned off, faced with days which seem endless, the sudden quiet, a pregnant pause...hearing the scrape of fork against dinner plate, a sound so familiar, usually drowned out by wheels turning in their heads, and the white noise of perpetual motion.

Last night I snuggled up in my bed wrapped in blankets in front of a good movie on TV, Carmella curled up, her head nestled in the crook of my arm, and although so much had gone wrong in the previous several weeks I looked at her and thought how this was going to be the best holiday ever because she has grown into a beautiful young dog, healthy and robust and very much alive.

It has been an amazing transformation taking place before my eyes over the past month or so. It seems as though her DNA takes turns and a certain breed will show up more prominantly for a few weeks, and then another, all the while making the puzzle of her lineage a little less mysterious. Breeds I was pretty sure she had in her before I'm not so sure of anymore, and some new possibilities emerge. In just the past month her neck and chin have gone through some pretty dramatic changes. The new collar I'd just adjusted for her a month ago is already almost too small for her. I looked closely and found that she has developed loose skin around the throat, and looking at her chin revealed some little crinkles. I'm thinking it's probably not enough to be Bloodhound, but it could possibly be Shar Pei. The only thing is that Shar Peis have very clunky snouts with pendulous lower lips, and she definitely has a much firmer and thinner snout. Although her forehead is wrinkled she does not have the squinchy eyes either nor do they droop. If it is Shar Pei then whatever else is in her must be balancing her out to make her more streamlined. That is possibly German Shepherd and maybe some Shiba Inu. She may have some Pit Bull in her because of her powerful jaws, but otherwise she is looking less like a Pit Bull than she was a few months ago.

Tonight I read more about Dingoes and interestingly, the material said that they have a habit of going for the feet, so that is definitely still a possibility. I also read that Shar Peis often chew on everything and like Pit Bulls can be stubborn with problem behaviors and require special training techniques to overcome those quirks. Carmella chewed clean through the cord on my heating pad in only 5 minutes during when I left her on my bed as I made myself something to eat in the kitchen. I came back through the livingroom to find her gnawing on the detatched pad. I really didn't need to have one more expense on top of everything else. That will have to wait to be replaced next month although I really need to use it now.

In addition, she stripped off the laminate on one half of the door between the garage and the kitchen. I came home from doing my grocery shopping one day to a floor scattered with splinters of wood.

All this got me to thinking again about DNA testing, so I did a Google search and found two companies who now offer over 100 breeds. In case you would like to get your mixed-breed dog identified, Mars Veterinary offers what they call The Wisdom Panel for $125.00, a blood DNA test which can identify 157 breeds of dog; http://www.wisdompanel.com/mixed_breed_analysis/breeds_detected.aspx

The only breeds not detected are; Dogue de Bordeaux, Beauceron, English Toy Spaniel, Skye Terrier, Miniature Bull Terrier, Swedish Vallhund, Tibetan Mastiff.

The other is MMI Genomics, a subsidiary of MetaMorphix Inc., offers the Canine Heritage Breed Test which can identify 105 breeds of dog at present, and costs $120.00; http://www.canineheritage.com/breeds.php

This test is done from epithelial cells inside the cheek in the mouth of the dog.

The following article tells you why getting your dog tested is useful; http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/1578

Once I get Carmella's current vet bill paid down some more I plan on getting her tested.

If you would like to help with Carmella's vet bill;

* Buy an ad on my blog to the right

* Use the donation button (at top of side-bar)

* Or*

* Shop in my Etsy store at http://Giftbearer.etsy.com/

I still have a ways to go before her bill will be paid off completely, so whatever you can afford would be greatly appreciated. Every bit adds up.

My son will be coming for a few hours today. This is the first time he will have seen Carmella. He and his girlfriend took a look at my blog about a week ago and they both thought she was really cute. I haven't seen my son in a long time. It will be nice to get a chance to visit with him, and I hope he will be able to get three days off from his job around New Years. He lives in Athens, GA. which is about an hour and a half away from here. He'll be coming up with his girlfriend who will be driving to Stone Mountain related to her work.

Just When You Thought Things Were Going Well

It's odd that sometimes when you think things are at their best unbenounced to you they're really on the cusp of total collapse. I've been busy putting out fires. That seems to be the theme of the day. The Carmella-cam stopped working altogether and it required about 3 days of talking to 3 different companies to come up with a solution without paying through the nose. Finally I reached a supervisor that believed in good customer service and by that time I was hoarse from all the hours spent on the phone. The Geek Squad is going to send a guy over on Monday to fix it. The supervisor I spoke with on the phone said it could be a defective router and she is going to leave instructions for him to bring another one just in case. It could also be that the set-up was configured wrong to begin with and re-configuring it might fix it. I also requested that the guy speak with the camera manufacturer Linkseys to be absolutely sure that he is connecting it to the web correctly so it will not fail when he leaves.

All this came after I received some very upsetting news which required alot of extra work on my part that I should not have had to take on and then my autoimmune disease flared up horribly. The last thing I needed was to have to clean up somebody else's mess and it seems as though the ramifications just keep coming.

The one constant was that Carmella was here the whole time by my side. Thank God for dogs because if you're looking for loyalty they will never let you down. There is a permanence to them you can't get anywhere else.

The woman from whom I'm supposed to be buying the rubber stamps of my pictures has dropped off the radar again. That always seems to happen whenever I ask a question in my e-mail. If I were not so tenacious she would have lost the sale completely, but I will still place the order although this has dampened my enthusiasm to get it as soon as possible quite a bit with all the stops and starts. I'm running out of energy with all this being required to drag people that has been happening lately.

Yesterday when I went to take a bath I found that I was bruised all over. The past few days I'd been in awful pain throughout my body and then the next day it felt as though my muscles had been torn and were itching as though healing some damage. Then I noticed the bruises. That is very strange. I have had the pain many times but bruising is new. I hate to go to the doctor because he is not thrilled about having to treat something that isn't easily fixable and I have to drag him too each time I go in there. If he's tired of it that goes double for me but what can you do. We all will get something serious that we can't shake sooner or later and I don't have the luxury of going home and forgetting about it. I have to deal with it everyday whether I want to or not. Some days I barely notice it and other days I'd have to die to feel better. That is the nature of the beast. I just try to enjoy my life as much as possible, to make a difference, and make the best of it.

I see alot of parallels between Carmella and I. Even she seems to be getting the same reaction from her vet. He wants her to be instantly better and it just doesn't work that way. She, unlike me, is cured of the disease, but it will be anybody's guess whether all the damage will heal or not. I finally received an e-mail from Dr. Norwood about the possibility of putting her on an anticonvulsant. Apparently he'd tried to call Dr. Sears about it but his voicemail said that he was unable to retrieve his messages, so he never got it. He said that if Dr. Sears thought it was worth doing he would go ahead and prescribe it. I e-mailed him and told him Dr. Norwood was trying to get ahold of him and have not heard back. I wrote Dr. Norwood and asked whether Klonapin would be safer than Phenobarbital in terms of risk for liver damage and said that I would hate for her to have to tough it out for at least 4-6 months while waiting for her body to take over and heal the jerking and that it must really be making her tired and sore to have that constantly. Dr. Norwood has fallen out of contact again after my response e-mail.

One thing I have noticed is that Carmella seems to have a hip that comes out of place on one side as if it's loose in the socket. I'm not sure when that started, but I discovered it one day when I put my hand on her back and she walked forward. I could feel it. I asked Dr. Norwood about that in my last e-mail as well. I hope it's not hip displaysia. It occurred to me that it might be because she does look like she has some German Shepherd in her and that breed is prone to it.

Right now she looks very much like a German Shepherd and also has alot of Pit Bull characteristics. She's still gaining weight and has become very muscular. She doesn't have an ounce of fat on her!

Sometimes in the morning after I let her out she will jump up on my bed and snuggle up while I'm watching TV.

She has gotten better about not chewing on me but still goes through times when she gets rambunctious with open jaws, especially when she's been outside running around and chasing squirrels. Yesterday she just about pulled my arm off trying to get to a squirrel through the computer room window as I was holding onto her collar. She sounds like a hound on the hunt, desperate to grab these furry animals that frequent the back and front yards as commonly as leaves. Occasionally one will stand right in front of the window on the porch teasing her as if it knows she can't get out that way.

I got another bill from CareCredit and the total is still pretty big after Carmella's procedure and the one follow-up visit to Dr. Norwood a few weeks ago. I have a 2 day show coming up on November 14th and 15th which is this coming weekend. I hope customers are not going to be too penny-pinching because of the economy because it would be nice to be able to pay off another big chunk of that bill.

This show is one of the few a year offered by the GA. Microenterprise Network that I belong to. These shows usually are connected with various conferences. I wish they held them more often, but usually they are only offered once or twice per year. The entry fees are relatively low ($50 or $60) as they are geared towards low-income small business owners. This particular one is connected with The Refugee Women's Network, Inc. and takes place at a hotel in downtown Atlanta. The location is good and I usually do well at conferences of this type.

Yesterday I spent all day literally just organizing my jewelry and putting price tags on items that I'd been listing on Etsy since my last show. I didn't realize how long it had been and just how much inventory I'd built up in recent months. The gray duffle bag I carry to shows weighs a ton and I have about 4 large ziplack bags full of jewelry, a full earring rack which holds about 24 pairs of earrings, more on earring cards, about 5 stand-up flocked necklace display boards, and a few rings, not to mention a whole tray of softies bracelets! Since I have nobody to go with me I have to use a minimum of small displays; just what I can carry. I often wish I could have a more interesting set-up, but that would involve more hands to carry it, and as I don't have a vehicle that would be next to impossible. I'll be happy if I can sell half of this stuff. That would lighten my load considerably.

Last week I finished a copper bracelet that is along the same lines as the piece "Hint at Something Deeper". I figured out that if I used a certain type of beadcap it looks like the seedhead of a poppy.

Copper Poppy

http://Giftbearer.etsy.com/

Carmella's New Fashion Statement

Things have been pretty uneventful lately for the most part but finally there are a few things of interest to report.

I got Carmella a muzzle at Petsmart for those times when I want to leave her out of the kitchen for awhile with me while I'm in the computer room or when she is on my bed and I don't want her to chew me or the computer wires.

I'm hoping that this will get her out of the habit of chewing (especially on people) when she figures out she can't do it. I put it on her right when she gets too rambunctious and starts chewing and nothing I say is getting her to stop.

I've noticed that although she tries to get it off and looks kind of disconcerted for awhile, eventually she does stop trying to chew.

I'm hoping that if I pet her when she can't chew me and repeat that often enough it will break the habit altogether at some point.

Today when I was outside with her throwing sticks for her to fetch she really chomped down on me pretty hard while she was jumping up into the air indescriminately trying to grab anything she could even if she could not reach the stick. She almost bit through my shoe once.

There are these berries she loves to eat that grow on the ornamental edging grass that surrounds my back porch and she alternated between eating those and chasing sticks. Luckily they aren't poisonous. She seems to like those even better than her dog food, LOL. I think she might be a vegetarian by nature. It's interesting that she loves things like apples and berries.

A woman posted on one of the Distemper messageboards who is from Texas and she and her husband have a small animal shelter. Several of their dogs have Distemper and one dog has died from it. They are worried that all the others might catch it too because they have not been able to get a vet to do the NDV injection into the Central Nervous System of their own dog, (a Boston Terrier) who was diagnosed almost a year and a half ago.

I gave her Dr. Muller's contact information and they have been in contact but so far their local vet who did the part of the treatment for the body has not been willing to inject the NDV into the CNS, so her dog has been getting worse and worse. He has signs of impending blindness and is starting to have some problems with coordination.

Since she is not able to travel here, I sent her some listings of vets in Texas and also told her to point out to the vets there who are reluctant to do this that Carmella is a living example proving that this treatment will stop the disease and that there can be no negative effects as long as the procedure is done as directed.

If any of you readers live in Texas and know of a vet who might be willing to try this please let me know and I'll pass that contact information onto this woman. It will be great if her dog can have the same chance as Carmella to overcome this disease, and it could prevent her other dogs from catching it also.

I am working on developing a list of vets who will do this so that when newly diagnosed dogs come along they can get help quickly without having to wait until it's too late.

A few days ago I made a small sale in my Etsy shop; a pair of my Haiku earrings made with nicely polished wood, oxidized copper wire, and (in this pair) Turquoise.

I am now down to 3 pairs remaining and I would love to sell the rest of them and make some new ones. If you like these and are interested in a particular stone at the bottom please don't hesitate to ask. I am glad to do special orders. These are great if you want something really nice for a good price. They are reasonably-priced enough to get a pair for several friends and/or family members. Just think; you could have alot of your holiday shopping taken care of.

I offer free gift-wrapping to those who would like it throughout the season. Just convo me on Etsy and let me know in the comment section when you purchase that you'd like them gift-wrapped. I just bought 3 nice rolls of ribbon today in moss green, rich bright red, and a white with sparkly irridescent blue and pink speckles.

I also got an interesting knitting spool that is a little wider than the wooden ones I have for wire and am planning on trying some new and interesting things with that while I wait for my rubber stamps to be completed, and in-between construction of the seedpods.

One more donation has come in for Carmella's vet bill recently. I will need to put another payment towards it again soon, so thank you everyone who has contributed, and those who haven't, keep it coming! Every little bit helps. You can also buy jewelry for your loved-ones in my Etsy store, and/or buy a $5.00 ad slot on my blog to help Carmella.

http://Giftbearer.etsy.com/